When video content is streamed to a client device over a remote connection—whether over a network connection, an Internet connection or otherwise—the video stream may require optimization to allow for continuous playback over the connection due to bandwidth, hardware, or other limitations. Content providers frequently provide their own media player on which the video stream is to be played, for example, in a flash player for a web browser. The media player is generally downloaded with the video stream and the video stream is played back at the client device on the media player.
Because the content providers often provide their own media player, the original video stream from the origin server may include attributes or customization for the video stream that allows the video stream to interact correctly with the media player and take advantage of the media player's specific functionalities. Optimization or re-encoding of the video stream in real time over a connection may cause problems with playback of the video at the client device because the optimization may remove or alter the player control attributes, leading to serious usability problems or a poor user experience.